Chicken Manchurian Recipe with Step by Step Photos and Video.

Chicken Manchurian is a popular Chinese starter served in Indian restaurants. There are two versions for this chicken recipe, chicken Manchurian dry and chicken Manchurian gravy. This chicken Manchurian dry is normally serves as a starter dish and the chicken Manchurian gravy as a side dish. Today, we will discuss the preparation of chicken Manchurian dry.

What is chicken manchurian?

Chicken Manchurian is a popular chicken starter served in Indian and Pakistani restaurants. Chicken Manchurian is not an Indian dish, but an Indochinese fusion recipe which means the Chinese recipe that has given suitable changes to enthrall our taste buds. Chicken Manchurian can be made in two different ways in terms of its consistency, dry chicken Manchurian and chicken Manchurian gravy. Today's recipe, the dry chicken Manchurian is served as a starter where as the gravy as a side dish.

How to Make Chicken Manchurian?

Chicken Manchurian is a fast food type of dish. It takes only less than ten minutes, especially when the preparations are already done. The chicken is marinated, fried and sautéed in sweet and sour Chinese gravy. The dish looks similar to chili chicken, but chicken manchurian has a darker shade and comparatively sweet in taste. (Not spicy). Let us discuss each step in details.

Selection of chicken pieces : Both boneless and with bone chicken can be used for making the chicken manchurian. But usually I prefer chicken breast or boneless chicken pieces.

Marination: The chicken that cut into bite sized pieces are then given two marination. The first mariantion is with pepper powder, salt and a few drops lemon juice to make the chicken juicy and tender. The second marination is given to get a beautiful coating around the chicken pieces. Soy sauce, egg, all purpose flour (maida) and cornflour will be used. The gg is used for binding.

Frying : Both shallow fry and deep fry can be followed. The shallow fry method will help you to reduce the oil consumption.

Sautéing: The fried chicken pieces are then sautéed in Chinese causes and vinegar. Garlic, spring onion bulbs and greens are used to flavor the dish. Onion and capsicums give beautiful look and crunchiness.

Chicken manchurian - Experts tips

When you buy chicken manchurian, from restaurants, you will have two options with bone or boneless. Boneless chicken manchurian is more costly than the other and most demanding one. You can choose the chicken to your preference. Remember to chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
While marinating the chicken, the egg are used for binding. The chicken pieces with thin coating is tastier. If you don't have eggs in your pantry, make a thick batter otherwise, the batter will ooze out while frying.
Onion and capsicums is to give a nice crunchy texture to our dish. So never over cook both these two ingredients.
I have used cornflour water along with sauce in this recipe, but that is optional. If you don't prefer, you can forget that step.
Spring onion, garlic and ginger not only increase the taste, but also contribute its flavor. So never skip them.
Extended used of tomato sauce will make the dish sweet.
The Kashmiri red chili powder is used to get a nice color. You can you food color also. This step is also optional.

Chicken Manchurian And Serving Suggestions

Chicken manchurian dry is a starter recipe. But you can serve as a side dish for fried rice, chapati, parotta etc. Always try to serve hot.

Chicken Manchurian Recipe | Dry Chicken Manchurian Recipe | How To Make Restaurant Style Chicken Manchurian At Home

Chicken is yummy Chinese sauce

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

200 gm boneless chicken, cubed (or chicken with bone)

First marination

1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 of a small lemon
Salt a pinch

Second mariantion

1.5 tbsp corn flour
3/4 tsp maida
1 small egg
1 tsp soy sauce

For the spicy coating

2 medium sized spring onion bulbs, finely chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and julienne
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
1 small onion, peeled, cubed and separated
1/2 portion of a small capsicum, cubed
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
1.5 tbsp red chili sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (or red food color, a pinch)
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vinegar
handful of spring onion greens

How to make chicken manchurian - Video

Chicken manchurian recipe with step by step photos

Chicken manchurian is a quick and easy, non-veg dish. It will take only less than ten minutes if the preparations are already done. Follow the steps carefully and make chicken manchurian at home and enjoy with your family and friends.

Take cubed chicken pieces in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper powder. Salt is optional, we will use soya sauce in this recipe. Remember, soya sauce is itself is salty.
Squeeze half portion of a small lemon or add half teaspoon vinegar. Both these ingredients will make the chicken soft and tender.
Mix well and set aside for ten to twenty minutes.
After the resting time, put one small egg. The egg is for proper binding.
Add cornflour, maida and soy sauce.
Mix well and make sure the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated with the flour. If the batter comes loose, put cornflour and maida mix in 2:1 proportion.
Heat oil in a wok. Use sunflower oil or olive oil. When the oil turns hot put the chicken pieces one by one.
Cook till they are cooked and attain a light yellow color.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In the same oil, sauté garlic and onion over high flame.
When they turn aromatic, put sliced spring onion bulbs and sauté for a minute.
Further add cubed onion and capsicum. Sauté till the they cooked. The onion and capsicum should turn soft and it should not lose its crunchiness.
Meanwhile, mix the dark soy sauce, red chili sauce and tomato sauce in a bowl.
Add Kashmiri red chili powder and mix well. The Kashmiri red chili powder is for color, so it is optimal. You can use red food color, if you prefer.
Add this into the hot pan. The sauce will start to boil immediately.
Next, add one teaspoon cornflour mixed in two to three tablespoons of water. This is to get a beautiful coating to our chicken pieces.
Add chicken pieces and mix well.
Also add one teaspoon vinegar and mix well. Wait till the oil separates.
When the oil start to separate from the dish, put some spring onion leaves and switch off the flame.
Enjoy as a starter or as a side dish for fried rice, chapathi and porota.